TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The century-old Alishan Forest Railway which suspended operations for 15 years after being severely damaged by typhoons resumed operations on Saturday (July 6) and will feature new luxury and tourist trains.
Tickets from July 6-16, including the first train, became available for online booking starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday (July 2). The full fare from Chiayi to Alishan is NT$600 (US$18.38).
The entire line reopened for service and a new timetable was launched on Saturday, with four departures per day. Regular service includes the Alishan Express No. 1 and No. 5 from Chiayi to Alishan and Alishan Express No. 2 and No. 8 from Alishan to Chiayi.
In addition, the new luxury sightseeing train the Formosensis (福森號) will begin operations on July 28, per CNA. The tour package tickets for July to September went on sale on Wednesday morning (July 3) and sold out within an hour.
The Formosensis, which took two years and nine months to build, has six carriages, each with about 17 to 18 seats. The new train's carriages feature large cypress wood panels.
The exterior is designed with black window frames adorned with red trim and 165 cm wide observation windows, complemented by classic wall lamps, curved ceilings, black iron archways, and ergonomic seats made of imported natural leather from the U.K., per UDN. The interior is filled with the natural fragrance of Taiwan red cypress and Taiwan cypress, creating a retro and elegant atmosphere.
Another new tourist train is the Vivid Express (栩悅號), which is composed of repainted and refurbished carriages and started operations on May 24. Its exterior features a design inspired by the collared bush robin.
With five carriages providing 60 seats, the interior combines large windows showcasing natural scenery with an eight-channel surround sound system. It offers semi-private compartment seats for families and groups, and observation seats that can rotate 360 degrees, allowing passengers to enjoy the natural beauty from different angles.
The following are photos taken on preview tours of the Formosensis for the media on Wednesday and Thursday (July 4):
